Ministry News

Public Security Chief says tackling terror top priority

Chief of Public Security Major-General Tariq Al Hassan inaugurated a meeting of GCC specialists and experts in weapons and explosives on Thursday. It is being organised in cooperation with the concerned UK organisations to discuss the threats of IEDs.

The two-day meeting is part of the 37th Gulf Summit held in Bahrain in the presence of UK Prime Minister Theresa May to strengthen security cooperation.

In his speech, the Chief conveyed the greetings of His Excellency the Interior Minister and thanked the organisers of the seminar, being held as part of the partnership with the GCC General Secretariat and the British Defence Ministry. He said that terrorism topped international, regional and local priorities and remained the focus of legal and criminal experts for its threat in the security, economy and social aspects of society.

He said that terrorism destroyed property and harmed innocent people, civilians and military personnel. It also endangered society through its wrong principles, extremism or the backing of foreign sources or countries.

The Chief said that Bahrain had been suffering from Iran-backed terrorism for decades, especially since the Khomeini-led revolution in Iran, through the formation of groups of terrorists and vandals inside and outside Bahrain, such as the Hezbollah, the Saraya Al Ashtar, the February 14 and Al Wafa movements. He highlighted the involvement of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards in recruiting, financing and training terror cells and providing them with logistic support such as ammunition and explosives which were trafficked across the borders and the setting up of military camps in Iran and Iraq. Some Iranian elements provided the religious cover for such terrorist activities.

He highlighted the US declaration of Iran as a supporter to terrorism and said the Saraya Al Ashtar had full support of the Iranian government. The group was behind a number of terrorist operations, especially those that targeted the Bahraini police and led to a number of casualties since 2014. The US has accused the Saraya Al Ashtar of targeting security interests in the Gulf, including Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

He said the security authorities had succeeded in dismantling a number of terrorist cells and foiling terrorist plots to commit blasts and assassinations. He attributed the success of the operations to the vigilance of security authorities and the cooperation of brotherly and friendly countries.

He said that since 2011, more than 3,300 policemen had been injured and 20 had died which was a high price paid by Bahrain. He hoped the meeting would be fruitful for all and wished it success.